Google has drawn flak for wanting much of our access to its services linked under a single Google+ identity -- and preferably a real one. However, company internet evangelist Vint Cerf argues that Google shouldn't (and doesn't) cross a line in the sand on user anonymity. He contends in a Reuters interview that no one should be forced to use their real name, and that Google won't press for one, especially in politically oppressive situations where there could be dire consequences to protesting under a real identity. What about less sensitive conditions, however? Cerf would like to strike a balance: he prefers solutions that "strongly authenticate" people when necessary, without eliminating anonymity altogether. We're glad to hear that there's a place Google won't go in its quest for social network supremacy, although we're sure some would like the search giant to take another step back and restore the controls over anonymity and privacy that they believe have been lost.
[Image credit: Joy Ito, Flickr]
Filed under: Internet, Google
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Source: Reuters
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